Rail-fastener and tie.



Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

7 Z. CZGe/k 131.

COLUMBIA PLn ounAm-l 00.. WASHINGTON. D c.

LOUIS C.

GERKIN, OF FARINA, ILLINOIS.

RAIL-FASTENEB AND TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Dec. 3,1912.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LOUIS C. GERKIN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Farina, in the county ofFayette and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rail-Fasteners and Ties, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in railway rail fasteners andties, and has for one of its objects to improve the construction andincrease the efficiency and utility of devices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved rail fasteneradapted to be tightened in event of working loose without removing therail or disturbing the tie.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved deviceincluding a concrete tie having the rail fastening devices embeddedtherein and with reinforcing members to prevent fracture of the tieunder abnormal strain.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction as hereafter shown and described, andthen specifically pointed out in the claim, and in the drawingsillustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is aplan View of a portion of a rail with one of the improved tie andrailfastening devices applied; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of theimproved ties and the rail-fastening devices with the tie and rail insection on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3of Fig. 1; Fig. 4c is a detached perspective view of a portion of one ofthe rail fasteners; Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating amodification in the construction; Fig. 6 are perspective viewsrepresenting the modified fastening devices illustrated in Fig. 5.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The improved device comprises a tie represented conventionally at 10formed of concrete or like material and provided with a plurality oflongitudinally extending metal reinforcing members 11. Any requirednumber of the reinforcing members may be employed, but generally fourwill be used, as shown, and each formed from a section of a bar twistedto produce irregular faces as shown and embedded in the tie at suitabledistances apart when the latter is construct ed. By this means thematerial of the tie which is molded when in a plastic state, enters theinterstices or hollows of the reinforcing members and thus firmlyanchors the latter within the tie. By this simple means the tie isreinforcedand strengthened and all tendency to fracture under abnormalstrains prevented.

At the point where the rails, represented conventionally at 12, arelocated, the tie is provided with rail fastening devices each comprisingtapered blocks or studs 13, either connected to a single base member14:, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or with a separate base 15 for eachtapered stud, as shown in Fig. 5. The studs 13 extend through the tieand terminate at its upper face, while the bases 1 1 or 15 as the casemay be, are embedded in the lower face of the tie, as shown. By thismeans the studs are firmly anchored within the tie and extend entirelythrough the same. Each of the studs 1.3 is provided with a threaded boreextending entirely through the same, as shown.

When the fastening device illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 isemployed, the studs 13 will preferably be located obliquely to thelongitudinal plane of the tie so that the threaded bores of the studscome opposite the edges of the tie flanges of the rails 12 as shown inFig. 1, and when the structure shown in Fig. 5 is employed, the studswill be located in the same relative position with the bases 15 lyingparallel to each other.

The threaded bores of the studs are designed to receive holding boltscomprising threaded stocks 16 to engage the threaded bores and withlateral heads 17 to engage over the tie flanges of the rail as shown.Each of the heads 17 is provided with a wrench-receiving projection 18to enable the bolts to be turned home and thus hold the rails firmly tothe tie. By this simple means it will be obvious that in event of thebolts working loose, they can be readily tightened by simply applying awrench to the projections 18 and without removing the rail from the tie,or' disturbing the tie. In event of the breakage or impairment of any ofthe parts, they can be readily detached, and a new one inserted withoutdiscarding the remainder of the devices.

The studs 13 with their bases 14 or 15 as the case may be, arepreferably of cast steel or other suitable metal and of suflicientstrength to withstand the strains to which they will be subjected.

Having thus described is claimed as new is:

A railway tie comprising a cement body, a plate embedded in the lowerface of the tie, tapered studs of less diameter than the width of theplate and rising from the plate the inventionywhat bores.

In testimony whereof I affix 1n presence of two wltnesses.

Louis 0. GERKIN. [Ls] whereby portions of the tie material extend overthe smaller ends of the studs, and rail flange engaging members fitting1n sa1d l. 5 my signature near its ends, said studs being of less lengthWitnesses: than the thickness of the tie and provided C. M. ANGLIN, withlongitudinally extending threaded bores J. D. Hmrrr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Washington, D. G.

Commissioner of Patents,

